


Kingdom’s edge

by Pocket_Sasaki



Series: Elegy to Hallownest [2]
Category: Hollow Knight
Genre: I don’t really have much to say lol, Not as good as the last one but, tiso got messed up Bc he’s dumb, who cares I enjoyed writing it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:15:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24015799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pocket_Sasaki/pseuds/Pocket_Sasaki
Summary: Tiso learns that he’s a fool.
Series: Elegy to Hallownest [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1732198
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36





	Kingdom’s edge

**Author's Note:**

> Me: I don’t plan on writing more of these
> 
> Also me: heehee Tiso
> 
> On a more serious note, I may edit these to add links to art I make related to these fics! So keep an eye out for that

What little breath he had is knocked out of him as he hits the ground. He feels his body breaking, the smooth carapace not protecting him from the hard stone. And yet he’s still alive.

But he knows he won’t be for long.

He can feel it. He can feel himself  _ dying.  _ He can feel the life draining through his wounds, and he knows that if he lets his eyes close, they won’t ever open again.

He needs to stay conscious. He needs to keep his eyes open. He needs-

“Help…” He manages to croak, with what little breath remains in his failing lungs. “Someone… help… please…” Every word is a struggle, one that increases with every labored breath required to say them. “I’m… not dead yet… someone help…”

He feels his eyes beginning to close. He can resist it no longer.

“I don’t want to die…” 

The world fades to black. 

* * *

The world takes a few moments to come into focus when Tiso finally wakes up, and with it comes a dull, but awful pain throughout his entire body, and a feeling that something is missing. 

And as he adjusts more and more to his surprisingly bright surroundings, he realizes that he doesn’t know where he is or how he got there.

Tiso immediately attempts to get up out of the… hammock(?) he had been lying in, only to stumble and fall, landing flat on the ground. A surge of pain shoots through his body, and he finds that the breath has been knocked out of his lungs. 

He regains his breath, and is beginning to prop himself up when he realizes why he feels like somethings missing. 

_ His fucking arm is gone. _

The arm he used to wield his weapon is severed cleanly, just above the elbow. A spike of distress shoots through him, a panic beginning to take hold. He needs to keep a level head, he can’t show weakness-

He quickly looks up when he spots movement in the corner of his… eye. Gods, his eye-

It’s that pale thing, that little ghost, walking toward him calmly.

“Don’t come any closer!” Tiso growls, though his voice is shaking. Ghost does not stop.

“I mean it!” Tiso almost yells, forcefully choking back the whimpers of pain he can feel trying to force their way out. Ghost still does not stop. Doesn’t even emote.

Tiso quickly gets to his feet, confident that he can defend himself against this tiny creature… even with his current state. However, he finds himself teetering immediately, and as fast as he got up, he’s falling again. But this time, instead of being greeted by the cold, hard ground, he’s caught by a pair of surprisingly strong little arms.

Ghost carries him not to the hammock, but to a nearby bench. He offers no resistance, not having the energy.

As he’s set on the bench, he takes a moment to cast an indignant look at this small creature that still hasn’t said a word. He opens his mouth to speak, but finds himself overtaken with a fit of coughs.

When he finally recovers, he once again casts a glare at Ghost, who is looking up at him, their head tilted ever so slightly.

“Why did you drag me here? Where even are we? What happened to—“ Tiso cuts off as Ghost raises their arm to point at something on his side. He looks down to see what they’re pointing at, and his heart drops.

He knows why he’s here now. 

On his side, there’s a jagged cut, one that goes through both armor and carapace, into the flesh beneath. It’s healed over, strangely, but it’s obviously recent… and it very much should have killed him.

Tiso remembers it so clearly now. He was almost in the final round. He had almost won! But one of the other combatants… they came out of nowhere, he couldn’t have avoided it- it wasn’t fair! It wasn’t…

How could he have  _ lost? _

Tiso doesn’t even realize he’s crying until Ghost has hopped onto the bench beside him and placed a hand gently on his shoulder. He instinctively recoils from the touch, curling in on himself. He wipes the tears away from his eye, turning away from Ghost. 

He can’t let this small thing see his weakness-

Ghost has moved closer to him again, and wrapped their small arms around him. He doesn’t understand the point of their embrace. They don’t know him. He was never even particularly nice to them when they did meet.

So why are they being so kind?

Tiso doesn’t understand… but… even so, he’s grateful. Without the kindness of this strange, small creature, he likely wouldn’t be alive. 

And he doesn’t remember the last time he’s been hugged.

It’s nice.

He had previously thought that being strong meant being alone, strong and solitary. That’s why he always traveled alone, why he doesn’t have any real friends.

But this little Ghost has shattered that old idea of strength. They’ve proven that you can be strong,  _ and  _ kind.

Tiso sighs, and despite the aching in his body, and the missing arm, he finds himself returning Ghost’s embrace.

  
  



End file.
